28 Best Venture Capital (VC) Investors in Menlo Park, California
Startups in Menlo Park! You’re in luck. This article is your golden ticket to finding the best venture capital investors right in your backyard. We’re talking about VCs who bring to the table – expertise, connections, and a real understanding of what startups need to thrive.
Whether you’re a tech wizard, a retail guru, or a healthtech innovator, this guide has got you covered. Dive in to discover the VC investors in Menlo Park who are eager to fuel your growth and help you make your mark.
Andreessen Horowitz
Andreessen Horowitz, also known as a16z, is one of Silicon Valley’s most popular VC firms. Founded in 2009 by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, this firm is a major player in the venture capital scene. They’re known for investing in various stages and sectors of tech and have invested in big names like Facebook, OpenAI, Airbnb, and Roblox. They’ve made over 1,500 investments. Regarding funding, Andreessen Horowitz recently raised a hefty $9 billion across three new funds. This sum was allocated to their venture capital, growth-stage, and biotech-focused vehicles. One of these funds is the Andreessen Horowitz Growth III, which alone raised $5 billion.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Colombia, Switzerland, Brazil, Israel, France, Germany, Mexico, Singapore, China, Poland, Denmark, India, Japan, Ukraine, Philippines, Hong Kong, Sweden, Iceland, Cayman Islands, South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand, Belgium, Norway, Estonia, South Korea, Greece, Spain, British Virgin Islands, Uruguay, Finland, Slovakia, Austria, Morocco
Operating since: 2009
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
Investment Focus: Software, Consumer, Enterprise, Bio/Health Care, Crypto, FinTech
Number of investments: 1704
Number of exits: 357
Check size: $1m – $100m
Notable investments: OpenAI, Slack, SpaceX, Stripe
Founders/Key People: Ben Horowitz, Anish Acharya, Joe Morrissey
Website: https://a16z.com
Benhamou Global Ventures
Benhamou Global Ventures (BGV) is a VC firm based in Silicon Valley that specializes in cross-border venture capital investments. Founded in 2004 by Eric Benhamou, BGV focuses on later-stage investments, particularly in cybersecurity, mobility, IoT, and cloud technologies. The firm likes to source startups to build them into next-generation B2B technology companies. Benhamou Global Ventures operates hands-on, assisting portfolio companies in various operational aspects.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: USA, UK, France, Israel, Germany, Australia, Sweden
Operating since: 2004
Stages: Series A, Series B
Investment Focus: Enterprise 4.0: Embedded AI, Unique Datasets, Intelligent Automation (Software, Cloud, IoT, Robotics, Computer Vision, CyberSecurity, Automotive, Logistics, Energy, FinTech, Retail, HealthCare, Manufacturing)
Number of investments: 144
Number of exits: 48
Check size: $2m – 5m
Notable investments: Virtana, Totango, Evinced
Founders/Key People: Eric Benhamou, Eric Buatois,
Website: https://benhamouglobalventures.com
Bow Capital
Bow Capital is an innovative venture capital firm that blends academia, business, and entertainment in its investment approach. Primarily, Bow Capital focuses on early-stage investments, particularly in Series A and B rounds, demonstrating a commitment to nurturing emerging technologies and business models. The firm was founded in partnership with the University of California, showcasing a commitment to integrating academic research and innovation into the VC landscape.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: USA, Canada
Operating since: 2016
Stages: Series A, Series B
Investment Focus: CONSUMER, E-commerce, DTC, EdTech, ENTERPRISE, Software, Data Analytics, Logistics, Science, BioTech, FoodTech, AgTech, CleanTech, Consumer and B2B Marketplaces
Number of investments: 63
Number of exits: 9
Check size: $500k – $10m
Notable investments: ClearCo, Evolve BioSystems
Founders/Key People: Grady Burnett, Raymond Dong
Website: https://bowcapital.com
DFJ Growth
DFJ Growth, also known as Draper Fisher Jurvetson Growth, is a venture capital firm that was founded in 2006. Based in Menlo Park, California, the firm funds enterprises, disruptive technologies, and the public sector. DFJ Growth is notable for partnering with highly transformative companies, often as their first growth investor. Their portfolio includes significant names such as Coinbase, SpaceX, Stripe, Tesla, Twitter, Unity, and others. The firm has been instrumental in fueling innovation in the economy and has recently announced a new billion-dollar fund, DFJ Growth IV.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: UK, USA, Israel, India, China, Canada
Operating since: 2006
Stages: Series A,Series B,Series C,Series D
Investment Focus: Enterprise Software,AI,Cloud Infrastructure,Storage,Data Infrastructure,Data Analytics, FinTech,Digital Media, Marketplaces, HRTech, HealthTech, BioTech, Construction, SalesTech, Space,Security Software,Internet,Semiconductors,Wireless,Hardware
Number of investments: 125
Number of exits: 37
Check size: $1m – $40m
Notable investments: Stripe, Twitter, Coinbase
Founders/Key People: Randy Glein, Chris Shanahan
Website: https://dfjgrowth.com
Lightspeed Venture Partners
Lightspeed Venture Partners, established in 2000, is one of the most successful venture capital firms, specializing in early-stage and growth investments within the technology sector. Lightspeed offers a broad investment scope across diverse tech domains and is known for its entrepreneur-centric approach. Lightspeed is also committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in its investment strategy. Their “About” page proudly mentions their approach with the following headline, “Serving Bold Builders of the Future.”
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: USA, China, Israel, Europe, India, Southeast Asia, Canada, LATAM.
Operating since: 2000
Investment Focus: Consumer (FinTech,Emerging,Media,Social,Commerce), Enterprise (Security,Infrastructure,SaaS,Big Data/Analytics,Services/Other)
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Post-Seed, Series A, Series B+.
Number of investments: 1464
Number of exits: 252
Check size: $100k – $10m
Notable investments: Byju’s, Epic Games, Cisco.
Founders/Key People: Christopher Schaepe, Peter Nieh
Website: https://lsvp.com
Mayfield Fund
Mayfield, also known as Mayfield Fund, is a distinguished venture capital firm based in the United States, particularly in Menlo Park, California. Established in 1969, it stands as one of Silicon Valley’s oldest venture capital firms. Mayfield specializes in early-stage to growth-stage investments, focusing primarily on enterprise and consumer technology companies. The firm takes a people-first approach in its investments, partnering with founders from inception to build multi-billion dollar companies.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: United States, India, China, United Kingdom, Australia, Israel, Singapore, France, Taiwan, Uruguay, Canada, Tonga.
Operating since: 1969.
Investment Focus: Enterprise/B2B (Software/SaaS,Cloud/Infrastructure/Data,AI/ML,MarTech, Cyber Security,HRTech, Telecom/Hardware), Consumer (Consumer Internet,E-commerce, FinTech, Media/Entertainment, AR/VR, Health & Fitness,Mobility), Engineering Biology (BioTech/Digital Health/HealthTech).
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Post-Seed, Series A, Series B+.
Number of investments: 1039
Number of exits: 246
Check size: $100K – $50M
Notable investments: Lyft, Marketo
Founders/Key People: Navin Chaddha, Guru Pangal
Website: https://www.mayfield.com
New Enterprise Associates (NEA)
New Enterprise Associates (NEA) is a prominent American-based venture capital firm, founded in 1977. NEA is recognized for its wide-ranging investment scope, covering seed stage through growth stage across a variety of industry sectors, with a global outlook. NEA’s investment strategy spans across technology and healthcare sectors, and it is headquartered in Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland. Additionally, NEA has made a significant impact with its substantial number of investments and exits, reflecting its active role in the venture capital ecosystem.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: United States, India, China, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Israel, France, Spain, Sweden.
Operating since: 2017
Investment Focus: Enterprise Tech/B2B,Software & Services,AI & Data Analytics,DeepTech & Automation, Systems,Consumer Tech & Consumer Internet,FinTech,EdTech,HealthCare,Life Sciences,BioTech, Digital Health, Medical Devices.
Stage: Seed, Post-Seed, Series A, Series B+.
Number of investments: 2799
Number of exits: 647
Check size: $1M – $50M
Notable investments: ByteDance, Salesforce
Founders/Key People: Thomas Undefined, Emma Shevchenko
Website: https://www.nea.com
Neotribe Ventures
Neotribe Ventures, founded in 2017, is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. The firm focuses on investments in various sectors, including applied artificial intelligence, biotech, enterprise infrastructure, IoT, and weather tech. Neotribe Ventures is known for its commitment to early-stage technology companies, investing in breakthrough technologies that stretch the imagination. In addition, Neotribe Ventures operates under the Neotribe Management Company and has made notable contributions to the technology sector since its inception.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Mexico, Australia.
Operating since: 2016
Investment Focus: Applied Artificial Intelligence/AI, BioTech/Computational Biology, B2B/Enterprise, Software/SaaS, Automation, CyberSecurity, IoT, Weather Tech, Energy.
Stage: Seed, Post-Seed, Series A, Series B+.
Number of investments: 63
Number of exits: 8
Check size: $4M – $11M
Notable investments: BillionToOne, ServiceNow
Founders/Key People: Nitin Chopra, Swaroop Kalluri
Website: https://www.neotribe.vc/
Altos Ventures
Altos Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California, with over $8 billion in regulated assets under management. The firm, founded in 1996, specializes in early to late-stage venture investments, focusing mainly on the consumer and enterprise sectors. Altos Ventures has been investing in cloud-based business software companies since 1999 and is known for its patient and pragmatic investing approach. The firm is notable for serving entrepreneurs with a strong sense of purpose, investing on behalf of institutional investors, many of whom have charitable, educational, or non-profit missions
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: USA, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia,
Operating since: 1996
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Investment Focus: Software, Mobile, Internet (Consumer, Enterprise/B2B)
Number of investments: 367
Number of exits: 88
Check size:
Notable investments: PandaDoc, Quizlet, Roblox
Founders/Key People: Han Kim, Ho Nam
Website: https://altos.vc
Clearvision Ventures
Clearvision Ventures was founded in 2015 and is based in Menlo Park, California. The firm specializes in investing in software companies operating in sectors like IoT, big data, and security. Clearvision Ventures assists entrepreneurs in establishing market-leading businesses and invests between $1 million to $10 million in a single startup at any stage of growth, from early to late.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: USA, Australia
Operating since: 2015
Stages: Series A, Series B, Series C
Investment Focus: Energy & Infrastructure Sustainability, Enterprise Software, IoT, AI, ML, Big Data, Data Analytics, CyberSecurity
Number of investments: 33
Number of exits: 7
Check size: $1m – $10m
Notable investments: FiscalNote, Persefoni, Tomorrow.io
Founders/Key People: Daniel Ahn, Thomas Englis
Website: https://www.clearvisionventures.com
Floodgate
Floodgate is a venture capital firm based in the United States, specializing in micro-cap start-up investments. Founded in 2006, the firm was initially named Maples Investments and later renamed Floodgate Fund in March 2010. The founders of the firm are Mike Maples Jr. and Ann Miura-Ko. Floodgate has been actively investing in various companies, including notable names like Twitter, Digg, and Lyft. As of 2017, the firm raised $131 million for its sixth fund, following its fifth fund, which closed at $76 million. Floodgate’s investment strategy focuses on early-stage technology companies with the potential for significant growth.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: UK, USA, Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Italy, Germany, France, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Indonesia, Mexico
Operating since: 2006
Stages: Seed,Series A,Series B,Series C
Investment Focus: Enterprise Software, Cloud, SaaS, E-commerce, Apps, Marketplaces, EdTech, AdTech, Consumer Services, Health Care IT, Solar
Number of investments: 456
Number of exits: 181
Check size: $100k – $10m
Notable investments: Lyft, Okta, Twitch, IRL App
Founders/Key People: Mike Maples, Ann Miura-Ko
Website: https://www.floodgate.com
Greylock Partners
Greylock Partners, established in 1965, is one of the most venerable venture capital firms, with its roots tracing back to the early days of Silicon Valley’s emergence as a technology and innovation hub. The firm specializes in providing seed, Series A and B, and growth-stage investments, focusing heavily on startups and growth-stage companies operating within the consumer Internet and enterprise IT sectors. Greylock is keenly interested in enterprise software technologies, including applications, cloud/SaaS, data management, networking, security, and storage, as well as consumer software technologies in advertising, commerce, gaming, marketplaces, media, mobile services, and social networking.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: UK, USA, Canada, Brazil, France, India, Mexico, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Spain, China, British Virgin Islands, Bahamas
Operating since: 1965
Stages: Seed,Series A,Series B,Series C,Series D,Series E, Series F
Investment Focus: Enterprise (Apps, Cloud/SaaS, Data Center, Management, Networking, Security, Storage), Consumer (Advertising, Commerce, Gaming, Marketplaces, Media, Mobile, Services, Social)
Number of investments: 1174
Number of exits: 554
Check size: $2m – $20m
Notable investments: Meta, Airbnb, LinkedIn
Founders/Key People: Elisa Schreiber, David Thacker
Website: https://greylock.com
IVP Ventures
IVP Ventures, also known as Institutional Venture Partners, is a leading venture capital firm based in the United States, focusing on high-growth technology companies. Established in 1980 by Reid Dennis, it’s among the oldest venture capital firms and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. With around 30 employees, IVP manages $7 billion in assets under management (AUM) and has a strong track record of investing in later-stage companies and growth equity investments.
Headquarters: USA
Investment Geography: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Finland, France, China, India, Sweden, Netherlands, Israel, Lithuania, Hungary.
Operating since: 1980
Investment Focus: Enterprise Software, Cloud Infrastructure, Data Analytics, Business Intelligence, Big Data, AI, IoT, Cyber Security, Mobile, Messaging, Communication, FinTech, AdTech, MarTech, HRTech, Digital Media, DevTools, Digital Health, Marketplaces, E-commerce, Consumer Goods, Consumer Brands, Crypto, PropTech, Social Media, Beauty, Health, Fashion, TravelTech, LegalTech, Mobility, EdTech, Gaming, AR, Robotics.
Stages: Series A
Number of investments: 636
Number of exits: 176
Check size: $1m – $100m
Notable investments: Netflix, Uber
Founders/Key People: Todd Chaffee
Website: https://www.ivp.com/
Kleiner Perkins
Kleiner Perkins, originally known as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB), is a prominent American venture capital firm founded in 1972, with a focus on incubation, early-stage, and growth companies. Headquartered on Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park, Silicon Valley, it has been a key player in the venture capital industry for over five decades. The firm has backed more than 900 companies across technology and life sciences sectors, including notable names such as Amazon, Google, Genentech, and Twitter. Some of its significant investments include a $5 million stake in Netscape in 1994, which was highly profitable following Netscape’s IPO, and an $8 million investment in Google that resulted in returns in excess of $1 billion.
Headquarters: United
Investment Geography: United States, China, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, India, Sweden, Netherlands, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Spain.
Operating since: 1972
Investment Focus: Consumer, FinTech, Enterprise, HardTech, Health Care, HealthTech, B2B, SaaS, AI/ML, DeepTech.
Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, Post-Seed, Series A, Series B+.
Number of investments: 2033
Number of exits: 458
Check size: $500K – $50M
Notable investments: Apple, Google
Founders/Key People: Cheng Winnie, Yini Enid
Website: https://www.kleinerperkins.com/
Point72 Ventures
Point72 Ventures is a global venture capital firm founded in 2016, with its primary offices located in New York, Seattle, and San Francisco. The firm operates as an independent arm of Point72, a global asset management firm led by Steven Cohen. Point72 Ventures specializes in investments across a variety of domains, focusing particularly on fintech, deep tech, and enterprise technologies. The venture capital firm is noted for its diversified team of domain specialists and is led by Steven A. Cohen, a prominent figure with extensive experience in both public and private market investing.
Headquarters: USA (New York)
Investment Geography: Global, with primary focus on USA
Operating since: 2016
Investment Focus: Financial Services (FinTech, Financial Services, FinServ Enterprise Software), Artificial Intelligence (Applied AI, Core ML, HardTech), Enterprise Tech (Enterprise Infrastructure, Cyber Security, Enterprise Apps, Infrastructure for the Future), Health Care (Patient Journey, Decision-Making Processes, Systemic Care Provision)
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Number of investments: 185
Number of exits: 25
Check size: $100k – $50m
Notable investments: DriveWealth, Ualá, Vestwell, Unbabel
Founders/Key People: Steven A. Cohen, Pete Casella, Dan Gwak
Website: https://p72.vc/
Rackhouse Venture Capital
Rackhouse Venture Capital is a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. They specialize in early-stage, seed, and growth investments, particularly in companies that intersect with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). The firm’s investment strategy emphasizes supporting founders who are passionate about using data to enhance efficiency in various sectors. They often invest in certain sectors or technologies that align with their expertise or interest areas.
Headquarters: USA (Menlo Park, California)
Investment Geography: Global with majority of backed companies being US-based
Operating since: 2021
Investment Focus: Artificial Intelligence, AI/ML (Data Engineering, Deep Learning, FinTech, Cyber Security, Dev Tools, B2B, SaaS, Software, Logistics, PropTech, RetailTech, Marketplace)
Stages: Seed, Series A
Number of investments: 55
Number of exits: 4
Check size: $100k – $1m
Notable investments: ScootScience, Pogo, Amitruck
Founders/Key People: Kevin Novak, Jan Crisostomo
Website: https://www.rackhouse.vc/
Rally Ventures
Rally Ventures is a venture capital firm that specializes in early-stage investments in business technology companies. Founded in 2012 and based in Menlo Park, California, with an additional office in Minneapolis, the firm has established itself in the B2B technology landscape. Rally Ventures focuses on companies that are pioneering new markets or introducing transformative approaches to existing markets. Areas of investment interest include artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, fintech, HRtech, developer tools, health tech, and market tech. As of December 2023, the firm had closed its Rally Fund V at $240 million, bringing its total assets under management to over $1 billion. The firm’s strategy includes a focus on cybersecurity, the future of work, software as a service, and artificial intelligence/machine learning.
Headquarters: USA (Menlo Park, California)
Investment Geography: USA
Operating since: 2012
Investment Focus: B2B Technology (Big Data, Cloud Infrastructure, FinTech, SaaS/Software, Cyber Security)
Stages: Seed, Series A
Number of investments: 187
Number of exits: 80
Check size: $0k – $100k, $100k – $500k, $500k – $1m, $1m – $3m, $3m – $10m
Notable investments: Total Expert, AnyRoad, Appfluence
Founders/Key People: Charles Beeler, Jeff Hinck
Website: http://www.rallyventures.com/
Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital is a prominent venture capital firm established in 1972, with its headquarters in Menlo Park, California. It operates as an umbrella brand comprising three different venture entities focusing on the U.S. and Europe, India and Southeast Asia, and China. These entities, following a 2023 announcement, are transitioning to operate independently from 2024, not sharing investors or profits. Sequoia is renowned for its investments across various stages, including seed, early, and growth stages, and has a notable track record with investments in significant technology companies.
Headquarters: USA (Menlo Park, California)
Investment Geography: USA
Operating since: 1972
Investment Focus: Consumer Internet, Consumer Devices, Marketplace, Digital Media, Gaming, FinTech, Crypto, Digital Health/HealthTech, Enterprise/B2B, SaaS/Software, Data & Analytics, Dev Tools, Hardware & Infrastructure, MarTech, Networking & Cyber Security, Storage
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
Number of investments: 2,462
Number of exits: 828
Check size: $500k – $1m, $1m – $3m, $3m – $10m, $10m – $50m, $50m+
Notable investments: Reddit, Klarna, Wiz, dbt Labs, Zapier, Retool, Ironclad
Founders/Key People: Jeff Wang, Doug Leone
Website: http://www.sequoiacap.com/
Shasta Ventures
Shasta Ventures is a venture capital firm that concentrates on early-stage startups, with a particular focus on SaaS, cybersecurity, infrastructure, data intelligence, and consumer subscription sectors. They have been active for over 15 years and manage over a billion dollars, dedicating themselves to supporting innovative entrepreneurs who aim to create impactful businesses. Shasta Ventures is known for its track record of investing in groundbreaking companies such as Anaplan, Canva, Zuora, Nest, and Nextdoor. They offer more than just financial investment, providing a unique program called Shasta Elevate. This program is designed by industry experts to accelerate portfolio companies towards their key milestones more efficiently. Shasta Ventures is known for its track record of investing in groundbreaking companies such as Anaplan, Canva, Zuora, Nest, and Nextdoor.
Headquarters: USA (Portola Valley, California)
Investment Geography: USA
Operating since: 2004
Investment Focus: Smart Software (SaaS, Infrastructure, Data Intelligence, Security), Consumer (Finance, Subscription, Social, Goods), Emerging (AR, VR, Robotics, Connected Home, Space)
Stages: Seed, Series A, Series B
Number of investments: 472
Number of exits: 154
Check size: $0 – $100k, $100k – $500k, $500k – $1m, $1m – $3m, $3m – $10m
Notable investments: Canva, Athleas, Frame.io, Tally, Nest, Zuora, Anaplan, Starsky Robotics, Color
Founders/Key People: Tod Francis, Robert Coneybeer
Website: https://www.shasta.vc/
Storm Ventures
Storm Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California, focusing on early-stage investments in B2B enterprise companies. With over 23 years of experience and more than 200 investments, Storm Ventures specializes in building enterprise leaders by investing in disruptive B2B software startups across areas like SaaS, enterprise infrastructure, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States, Germany, South Korea, Israel, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Lithuania, United Kingdom, India, Malaysia, Pakistan.
Operating since: 2000
Investment Focus: Enterprise/B2B (Vertical SaaS/Software, MarTech, Data Infrastructure, Digital Health, Engineering, GovTech/LegalTech, HRTech/Workforce, IT, Robotics As A Service, Sales, Cyber Security).
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 318
Number of exits: 64
Check size: $100K – $1M
Notable investments: Adobe Systems, Marketo.
Founders/Key People: Tae Nahm, Ryan Floyd
Website: https://www.stormventures.com/
TCV Ventures
TCV (Technology Crossover Ventures) is a prominent venture capital firm founded in 1995 by Jay Hoag and Rick Kimball. The firm specializes in providing growth capital to technology companies during their rapid expansion phase, employing a crossover investment model that combines venture capital with public market investing. TCV has invested over $13 billion in more than 350 companies, with notable investments including Airbnb, ByteDance, Facebook, GoFundMe, and Spotify.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States, Mexico, Germany, United Kingdom, India, Canada, France, Netherlands, Israel, China, Lithuania, Sweden.
Operating since: 1995
Investment Focus: Enterprise IT, Consumer Internet, Mobile, B2B Software, SaaS, Tech-Enabled Services, FinTech, Health Care IT
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 441
Number of exits: 205
Check size: $3M – $300M
Notable investments: Meta, Netflix
Founders/Key People: Rick Kimbal
Website: https://www.tcv.com/
Third Point Ventures
Third Point Ventures is the venture capital arm of Third Point LLC, a registered investment adviser based in New York, managing approximately $5 billion in assets. Founded in 1995 by Daniel S. Loeb, the firm is led by Robert Schwartz, an industry veteran with over 25 years of private equity experience. Third Point Ventures focuses on enterprise, fintech, mobile, and healthcare innovation, and it has a portfolio of companies spanning various sectors, including autonomous technology, cloud-native visibility and security, e-commerce fraud prevention, and API management and development.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States, Israel, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Colombia, Bahamas.
Operating since: 1995
Investment Focus: Technology (Consumer, Enterprise/B2B, Mobile, Cyber Security, Software/SaaS, Mobility), FinTech, Health Care/BioTech/MedTech/Digital Health.
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 102
Number of exits: 30
Check size: $100k – $1M
Notable investments: N26 Group, SoFi
Founders/Key People: Charlie Factor
Website: https://www.thirdpointventures.com/
Threshold Ventures
Threshold Capital Venture Capital Firm is an early-stage venture capital firm that partners with innovative consumer, enterprise, and healthcare technology companies. They support companies in transformative growth stages and have invested in notable firms like Brightline, LaunchDarkly, Remitly, and Upside Foods. Additionally, they offer the Threshold Venture Fellows program for entrepreneurship leadership experience. Recently, Threshold announced new funds, Threshold IV and Threshold Select, with a capital commitment of over $450 million.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States, China, United Kingdom, India, Canada, Israel, Brazil, France, Spain, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan.
Operating since: 2019
Investment Focus: HealthTech/Digital Health, Artificial Intelligence/Edge Computing, Consumer Services/Established Consumer Habits, Advanced Data Applications, Enterprise/B2B, SaaS/Software.
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 1010
Number of exits: 211
Check size: $1M – $50M
Notable investments: SpaceX, Tesla
Founders/Key People: Josh Stein
Website: https://threshold.vc/
Trinity Ventures
Trinity Ventures, founded in 1986 and based in Menlo Park, California, is a leading venture capital firm specializing in early-stage technology startups. The firm’s approach is characterized by a deep commitment to building strong, personal relationships with entrepreneurs, emphasizing mutual respect and goal alignment. Trinity Ventures maintains a focused capital-to-partner ratio to ensure dedicated support for its portfolio companies, leveraging its team’s background as former founders and tech executives to provide not just capital, but also invaluable industry insight and operational experience.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States, Ireland, United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, China, France, Taiwan, Denmark.
Operating since: 1986
Investment Focus: Consumer Services, Horizontal Software, Vertical SaaS, Cloud Infrastructure & Core Tech, Emerging Tech.
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 590
Number of exits: 180
Check size: $500K – $10M
Notable investments: New Relic, Outreach
Founders/Key People: Ajay Chopra
Website: https://trinityventures.com/
Unusual Ventures
Unusual Ventures is a seed-stage venture capital firm founded in 2018, strategically headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with additional offices in San Francisco and Boston. This firm is distinguished by its foundational goal to revolutionize the venture capital engagement model, offering an unparalleled level of hands-on services to early-stage founders. Unusual Ventures is committed to focusing exclusively on a select number of portfolio companies, enabling them to provide focused attention and support during the critical early stages of development.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Sweden, France.
Operating since: 2018
Investment Focus: Enterprise Tech, Enterprise Software, Consumer Tech, Consumer Internet.
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 114
Number of exits: 10
Check size: $2M – $10M
Notable investments: Robinhood, Carta.
Founders/Key People: John Vrionis
Website: https://www.unusual.vc/
US Venture Partners (USVP)
U.S. Venture Partners (USVP) is a prominent Silicon Valley venture capital firm that has invested in over 900 companies across four decades. They specialize in early-stage startups in areas such as cybersecurity, enterprise software, consumer products, and healthcare. The USVP team, comprising former entrepreneurs, technologists, executives, and financial professionals, provides support in strategy, scaling, team building, product development, and business growth.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States, Israel, Canada, France, Pakistan, China, Peru, United Kingdom, Australia.
Operating since: 1981
Investment Focus: SaaS+Cloud/Enterprise Software, Cyber Security, Consumer Internet, Mobile, Medical Devices/MedTech, Biotechnology, Health Care IT/HealthTech.
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 954
Number of exits: 227
Check size: $20K – $1M
Notable investments: Amgen, Box
Founders/Key People: Steve Krausz
Website: https://www.usvp.com/
Valley Capital Partners
Valley Capital Partners is an early stage venture capital firm founded in 1997. They focus on backing founders who create new markets through technological advancements. With a track record of 14 billion-dollar exits, they specialize in accelerating founders who have found product-market fit. Their investments primarily target Seed and Series A companies that have achieved over $1 million in ARR through early contracts with key anchor customers. Valley Capital Partners is active in areas such as climate tech, robotics, AI/ML, cybersecurity, blockchain, IoT, and enterprise software.
Headquarters: United States
Investment Geography: United States.
Operating since: 1997
Investment Focus: Enterprise Infrastructure, Enterprise Software, SaaS, Cyber Security, Deep Tech.
Stage: Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 20
Number of exits: 2
Check size: $1M – $7M
Notable investments: Rios, ModelOp
Founders/Key People: Steve O’Hara
Website: https://valleycapital.vc/
Xplorer Capital
Xplorer Capital is a venture capital firm established in 2011 and based in Menlo Park, California. They focus on investing in seed-stage, Series A, and Series B companies. Xplorer Capital targets disruptive technologies and talented entrepreneurs, with a particular interest in transforming traditional industries. The firm’s investment approach is centered around forming long-term partnerships and supporting their portfolio companies through leveraging their experience and connections. They have a diverse portfolio including companies across various sectors such as agricultural technology, logistics, and healthcare.
Headquarters: United States.
Investment Geography: United States, Germany.
Operating since: 2011
Investment Focus: Automation,AI,IoT,Data Solutions,Enterprise SaaS (Traditional Industries:- Manufacturing,Logistics,Agriculture, Health Care,Sustainability, Proptech,Mobility,Commerce,Corporate Productivity)
Stage: Pre-Seed,Seed,Series A, Series B.
Number of investments: 36
Number of exits: 10
Check size: $100K – $5M
Notable investments: Pachama, Farmwise
Founders/Key People: Jonathan McQueen, Keith Nilsson
Website: https://xplorer.vc/
Conclusion
So, that’s the rundown of Menlo Park’s finest in venture capital. Remember, the right VC is more than a cash injection; it’s a partnership that propels your startup to new heights. Use this guide as your launchpad to connect with investors who truly vibe with your vision. Your startup’s success story is waiting to be written, and with the ideal VC by your side, you’re well on your way to becoming a Menlo Park legend.
